Q: I agree with the reader who wrote last week that L.A. drivers are definitely better than Bay Area drivers. I have no idea why.
Deborah Goldeen, Palo Alto
A: You’re one of many who agree about L.A. drivers.
Q: When I moved from the Bay Area to L.A. in the 1980s, I was very impressed with the skill of L.A. drivers. I drove A LOT for work and school and learned that while they drove faster, they were far superior at avoiding trouble, negotiating challenging situations and knowing the capabilities of their cars. I am back north now and driving defensively.
Ann McClure, Castro Valley
A: A couple of decades ago, a Caltrans official was flying over Southern California traffic and told a radio audience that L.A. drivers were the most disciplined in the country.
Q: It’s all those unprotected left turns! As a Bay Area driver, they freak me out, but maneuvering all those unprotected lefts in L.A. keeps me alert and engaged.
Sandy McMaster
Q: Arian Sarris, who detailed an experience with a slow Berkeley driver, has a point in some respects, but also sounds like a bad driver. Milvia north of University is a SLOW street. It is a bicycle boulevard with multiple speed bumps. The speed limit here might actually be 20 mph, so 18 mph would be reasonable.
Norm Vance, Berkeley
A: And…
Q: I get as impatient with extremely slow drivers as the next person, but we need to keep in mind that some drivers are elderly, some are young, and some are immigrants who may never have driven before, much less in our crazy traffic. When I’m behind an extremely slow driver, I imagine the driver is an elderly loved one and remind myself that the delay for me is probably only a minute, at most.
Eve Carlson, Mountain View
A: That’s a good attitude.
Q: We left the Bay Area for Bakersfield in mid-2021, and I must weigh in on the recent letter suggesting that drivers in Berkeley are awful, and that Los Angeles drivers are a vast improvement.
We spend a lot of time in Los Angeles because of the shows and cultural opportunities we can take advantage of there and I can say, without a doubt, that this person is imagining things. Los Angeles is a massive, sprawling metropolis and there is no such thing as a “typical” Los Angeles driver. Clueless drivers are everywhere, and Los Angeles is no exception.
Finally, labeling Los Angeles drivers as superior, well, that’s just not true. Some drivers are courteous and thoughtful and don’t make you suffer for their mistakes. Others are just the opposite, like everywhere else on planet Earth.
Sharon Barbour, Bakersfield
A: More on this topic Thursday.
Look for Gary Richards at facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Source: www.mercurynews.com